Ore-separator



H. CAMPBELL.

ORE SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1920.

1,368, 1 1 1 Patented Feb. 3, 1921.

2 SHEE S-SHEET i.

I-rri amewtom UNITED stares HENRY CAMPBELL, OF LOGAN, UTAH.

ORE-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed June 30, 1920. Serial No. 393,078.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, Dr. HENRY CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Logan, in the county of Cache and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Ore- Separator, of which the following is a-speci fication. 1

This invention relates to an ore separator and has for an object the provision of means for separating fine gold from fine sand, and a particular objectvof this invention is to provide means for separating particles of gold of the same atomical weights as that of sand from the sand.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means for economically separating flour gold from sand in indefinite quantities without the loss of the initial chemicals employed in the separation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an ore separator of generally im proved constructions whereby the device will be simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction and maintenance, as well, as convenient, practical, serviceable, and ellicient in its use.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedesciiption proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of. parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings,.wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, parts appearing in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of aper- .tion of the conveyer;

ards 11, and a guide roller 15 is positioned within the tank 12 and is journaled on a standard or bearing 16.

An endless composite belt or conveyor 17 is trained around the rollers 13, 14 and 15, and this conveyor is composed of separate links 18. Each link comprises a body preferably formed of copper, and each body member has a recess or receptacle 19 formed therein. A cover or housing plate 20 is secured to one face of the body member or link 19, and a transversely extending elongated slot 21 is formed in the plate 20. The inter mediate portion of the plate is thickened to provide an inclined face 22 which forms one wall of the slot 21, and cooperates with an inclined end wall 23 of the recess 19 to define a restricted outlet or neck 24:. Side members or flanges 25 are secured to the body member 19 at the opposed longitudinal edges thereof thereby defining a trough like structure. The links 19 are hinged to each other by means of bolts, or other securing devices 26, which pass through spaced attaching cars 27 projecting longitudinally from one end of a link and through an attaching lug 29 extending from the op posed end of the adjacent link. Each link or. body member 19 has a concaved face 28 which is adapted to engage and conform to the periphery of the driving and supporting rollers, thereby presenting a flexible and efiicient conveyor.

lhe discharge end of the sand chute o sluice El overhangs the rollers 13 and a portion of the conveyer trough'l'z', so that they sand and water discharged from the sluice will flow over the conveyer 17, thereby permitting this conveyer to form in .eifect a part of the sluice. i return trough 31 is supported by the frame and underlies the roller 13 and the lower run of the conveyer 17.

Any suitable means may be employed for driving the device, and to this end a drive pulley 32 is secured to the roller 13 and is adapted to rotate therewith, and this pulley may be driven by a belt 33, which, in turn, may be driven from any suitable source of power, not shown.

In operation, mercury M is supported at the bottom of the tank 12 and a suitable acid A is supported above the mercury. Power is now applied to the conveyer 17, and it is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow, which direction is opposed to the direction of flow of the Water and sand from the sluice S. As the conveyer passes through the tank 12 the recesses or receptacles 19 are filled With mercury, and the acid acts on any traces of iron that may collect on the links of the conveyer. As the links of the conveyer leave the tank 12 they'will retain a full supply of mercury, owing to the shape of the recesses or receptacles 19, and after these links have passed around the roller 14 the slight inclination of the con,- veyer will cause the mercury in each link to seek the level of the face of the conveyor, thereby disposing the mercury in the path of the gravitating pay-sand and Water. As the sand passes over the mercury riffles, the mercury Will amalgamate With the gold that may. be present, and then gold and mercury are conveyed over the roller 13 and deposited into the return trough 31, Which conveys them to the. tank 12. The sand and Water flows over the trough-like ,conveyer 17 and is discharged over the roller 14. After the amalgam of'gold and mercury is conveyed to the tank 12, they are drawnfrom the tank and separated, by distillation or any preferred manner, and then the mercury is returned to the tank for further use.

.fective riflies.

When the links 18 of the conveyer 17 are traveling from the roller 14 to the roller 13, these links are slightly inclined and so disposed that their transversely disposed slots 21 are slightly below the common level of the mercury in the recesses or receptacles 19, therefore the mercury by capillary elevation presents a convex surface above the upper edges of the slots 21, thereby providing ef- The relatively great number of the riflies that this arrangement affords, prevents the; loss of any gold and provides means for collecting gold particles having the same atomical Weight as sand. It isto .be understood that the conveyer may be in the form of a Wheel instead of a link conveyer, and in this Way the Wheel would be provided with a number of recesses to carry the mercury present in the path of flow of the pay sands.

Having thus described my invention What isclaimed is '1. 'A device of the class described including a supporting frame, a tank supported by the frame, an endless conveyer operably supported by the supporting frame, said conveyer comprising separate links Which are hinged'ly united, each link having a receptacle formed therein and a restricted neck leading from the receptacle to the operable face of the link, means for filling the said receptacles With mercury, and

said conveyer comprislng separate links Which are hingedly united, each link having a receptacle formed therein and arestricted neck leading from the receptacle to the operable face of the link, means for filling the said receptacles with mercury, and means for driving the conveyer in a direction contrary to direction of flow of the sands from the sluice in order to expose the mercury to the path of travel of the suspended sands.

3. A device of the class described including a supporting frame, a tank supported by the. frame and adapted to contain mercury and acid, spaced standards supported by the frame, rollers journaled on thestandards, an endless conveyer trained over the'rollers and passing through the tank and positioned adjacent a sluice, means for conveying the mercury from the tank and exposing it in the form of riflies in the path of flow of the sands discharged from the sluice, a trough to the direction of flow of the sand from the sluice. Y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' HENRY CAMPBELL, M. D. Witnesses V CHAS. C. Woons, NELLE GALLAGHER.

underlying the conveyer and leading to the 

